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Whether you have a serious green thumb or simply like to keep your weeds at bay, you need a good pair of gloves any time you're digging around in the dirt. However, the best gardening gloves require certain features that you won't find with lesser gloves. Breathability, puncture resistance, and flexibility are all important when you’re weeding, digging up soil, and handling prickly plants.
First of all, they need to be breathable. Gardening is hard work, and it often makes you hot and sweaty. Even when you're not outside under the blazing hot sun (which, let's face it, you often are), your hands still work up a sweat, so you want your gloves to have some sort of ventilating panel or component. This could be made of nylon, spandex, or another breathable material.
Second, you'll want gloves that are puncture-resistant. Unlike other work mitts, your gardening gloves need to protect you from thorns, as well as wayward branches, twigs, and other pointy objects. Tough materials like latex rubber and full-grain leather will help keep your skin from getting pricked.
Beyond that, it's great to have flexibility so you can move your hands with freedom and use your fingers with greater precision. Depending on your preferences, you may also want bonus features like finger claws, knuckle guards, or extra palm padding. To help you find the right pair, I've done some research and made a list of the best gardening gloves in a variety of different styles.
1
The Overall Best Gardening Gloves
What's great about them: These tough bamboo work gloves are exceptionally flexible, with an amazing "bare skin" feel that lands them at the top of the list as overall best. In fact, with more than 10,900 ratings, they have a virtual cult following on Amazon. In addition to being lightweight and breathable (which helps keeps your hands cool), they allow you to feel your plants with greater sensitivity and dexterity. They aren't considered puncture-proof like some of the others on this list, but they are abrasion-resistant with seamless construction that reduces chafing.
What fans say: “These are my favorite gardening gloves. I just received my second pair. The first pair lasted two years of consistent use. Working with pavers caused some small holes at the fingertips, but they were good otherwise. These fit well and allow natural movement and grip. I don't really like to wear gloves when weeding and planting, but I can tolerate these because of the natural feel.”
- Available sizes: Small — XX-Large
2
The Best Gardening Claw Gloves
What's great about them: If you like having extra digging and leveraging ability when you're gardening, these clawed garden gloves are just the ticket. Each glove features tough, ABS plastic claws at the tips of four fingers to provide built-in tools while you work. The robust latex material is both waterproof and puncture-resistant, and there's breathable, nylon knit on the back of the hands to offer ventilation.
What fans say: “This is a very cool product that I love to wear while gardening. The claws make digging easy and they are nice to use to hook roots to pull them out. I am planning on purchasing multiple pairs and would recommend.”
- Available sizes: One Size
3
The Best Leather Gardening Gloves
What's great about them: Constructed from high-quality, full-grain cowhide, these tough leather gardening gloves are the ultimate in terms of toughness and strength. The material is 1.2-millimeters thick, yet they're super pliable, so your hands have the flexibility they need to work. They feature a gunn cut, which showcases fine seams set back from the palm and a fully seamless back, offering increased comfort when moving your fingers. The wrists have elastic bands to block dirt, and reviewers say the fabric is exceptionally puncture- and abrasion-resistant. These gloves aren't as breathable as the other options, but they make up for it in added durability.
What fans say: “These are great work gloves — sturdy and supple. I have been using them for gardening and have been able to pull individual weeds out by the roots without getting pricked by the nastier ones. Great item and value.”
- Available sizes: Medium — XX-Large
4
The Best Long Gardening Gloves
What's great about them: For folks who prefer gloves with full arms, these extra-long gardening gloves make a great choice. They feature gauntlet-style cuffs that go all the way to the elbows, along with stretchy spandex on the backs of the hands to offer enhanced freedom of movement, as well as breathability. Like the previous pick, they boast puncture-resistant leather, in addition to other materials. Best of all, they're super tough, with reinforced fingertips, sturdy knuckle guards, and palms outfitted with puncture-resistant padding.
What fans say: “I really love these gloves. Wished I had found them years ago and saved my arms many scratches. They are very durable and yet hand is flexible enough for comfortable gripping. [...] The length covers most of the forearm. I use them to trim many Arizona cacti and other prickly plants and so far have not been poked through by a spike. They are even pretty!”
- Available sizes: Small — Large
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